Big hook is the name of the game if you choose to go heads-up NMRA racing. Getting the power to the ground will win you more races than having the hottest motor but no traction. To that end, Tricky Ricky added Fox chassis four-cylinder springs, a QA1 K-member, and CPL Racing subframe connectors and antiroll bar. Yes, the rear control arms are stock, Fox-chassis units-rare to find on such a capable machine. The 8.8-inch rearend houses a Strange spool, Strange 31-spline axles, and 4.56 gearing. Power comes through an FRPP aluminum driveshaft. Rims are from Bogart, with Goodyear skinnies and Mickey Thompson 26x10-inch slicks (Pure Street class limit). Short times are always in the 1.40s, with big wheelies the norm.
Inside the car is a mild-steel, eight-point S&W rollbar that Ricky installed himself. A TCI line lock, a full array of Auto Meter gauges, and a removable steering wheel from an older Fox-body 5.0 Mustang are the standout features. The Pro-5.0 shifter is connected to a Jim Swarr-built, pro-shifted Tremec from Hanlon Motorsports. The clutch and pressure plate are from Ram, and they are contained in a blow-proof bellhousing should the worst-case scenario of clutch integrity come true.
Who would cut up a new '01 GT to go Pure Street racing? No one we know. Ricky Reynolds picked up a body-in-white GT from Total Performance in Detroit, Michigan, to begin his project. He painted the car black after adding an aftermarket 2.5-inch cowl hood, a Saleen front bumper cover, a junkyard full of trim and interior pieces, and hours of time and effort to get this puppy roaring to life. Ricky's best e.t. has been an 11.32-second pass at more than 123 mph (1.48-second 60-foot time). Not bad for a hydraulic-roller 302 with no power adder and a race weight of 3,200 pounds.
| 5.0 TECH SPECS |
| ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN |
| Block | Stock |
| Cylinder Heads | Trick Flow Twisted Wedge (ported by Total Engine Airflow) |
| Intake Manifold | Vortech upper/
Holley SysteMAX II lower (ported by
Total Engine Airflow) |
| Camshaft | BES custom |
| Power Adder | None |
| Exhaust | Pro Mustang long tubes,
Dr. Gas X-pipe, and DynoMax Bullet mufflers |
| Fuel Pump | Essex |
| Fuel Injectors | FRPP 36 lb/hr |
| Transmission | Tremec five-speed
(pro-shifted by Hanlon Motorsport) |
| Rearend | 8.8 with a Strange spool, Strange 31-spline axles, and 4.56 gearing |
| ELECTRONICS |
| Engine Management | EEC IV with Johnson Motorsports/Autologic chip |
| Ignition | MSD 6AL |
| Gauges | Auto Meter |
| SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS |
| Springs | Four-cylinder |
| Struts/Shocks | QA1 |
| Rear Suspension | CPL antiroll bar |
| Wheels | Bogart |
| Tires | Goodyear (front),Mickey Thompson (rear) |
| Brakes | Stock |